Update on the Agreement in Principle
On June 22nd, our FNEEQ bargaining, and mobilization committee reached an agreement in principle with the employer after an intense round of talks lasting several days. Some aspects of the written agreement had been in dispute up until that point but were settled verbally in the interim. The updated text of the agreement was submitted to the committee in the weeks that followed and upon verifying that it was consistent with what had been agreed significant discrepancies were found. Despite discussions and interventions at multiple levels by the committee, our bosses remain firm.
The FNEEQ has taken the initiative of filing a request for conciliation with the Tribunal administratif du travail in the hope of a dialogue, and that conciliation will cure the current lack of cooperation.
About conciliation (source: Tribunal administratif du travail [Our translation])
Conciliation is an amicable settlement process that allows parties to resolve their dispute by means of a solution negotiated between them with the help of a conciliator. Conciliation is aimed at settling a case to the satisfaction of those involved. It provides them with an opportunity to better understand the issues related to the dispute.
Conciliators are neutral, impartial professionals. Their role is to facilitate exchange between the parties so that they can find common ground.
The Info-négo #13 regarding the Agreement in Principle can be found at
Info-Négo #13 – EN – SecteurPublic.quebec. The link is also provided on the VCTA website.
VCTA Meetings
For the immediate future the VCTA meetings (Association Council & GAs) will be on campus. We will be setting up an Owl so members can listen in and join the conversation from a distance but only members who are present will have the right to vote. Please be patient with us as we learn to use this new technology.
La Capital Insurance – dependent children.
There have been changes to the process to extend or modify the student status of a dependent child for families with la Capitale – see your espace client or the link
Also, in order to maintain student status and remain covered, the child must meet the following three eligibility criteria: be dependent on the member, be in full-time studies and attend a recognized educational institution.
If these eligibility criteria do not apply to the child, the member will be required to immediately end the school attendance of the dependent child(s) by going to their Client Space. Evidence may also be requested from the member on a random basis in order to benefit the proper management of the contract.
La Capital Insurance – travel
La Capital has set up limits to coverage depending on the level of governmental alerts.
Level 1 & 2 – up to 180 days / Level 3 – up to 30 days / Level 4 – no coverage
Government Travel Alert levels
https://voyage.gc.ca/voyager/sante-securite/conseils-sante-voyageurs
Professional Development Deadlines
The deadline to submit Expense Reports for professional development activities is October 31st. Paper forms are available at the VCTA office (C-101), and electronic forms can be found here: https://www.thevcta.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/VCTA-PD-Expense-Report.pdf
World’s Teachers’ Day
October 5th is World’s Teachers’ Day. To celebrate your hard work and all your good energy, we are offering individually wrapped bagels and cream cheese in the union lounges, Main building and N Building, from 10 am -2 pm. Drop by and enjoy!
Leaves in Cont Ed
In addition to the 2 sick days mentioned in the Cont Ed Teacher Handbook (pg 6), you have a right to Parental Leaves (article 5-6.00) and Special Leaves (article 5-9.00) as mentioned in the 2015-2020 Collective Agreement. (These include bereavement leaves, moving, weddings, acts of God and need to quarantine.) http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/collective-agreement/teachers/
Classrooms Concerns
At the last meeting of CRT, the College suggested that teachers who have concerns over facilities and classrooms – heat, noise, etc – contact Physical Plant & Facilities and CC the Director of HRS, Andrew Mackay. If you face issues in your classroom, we encourage you to inform the College right away. The more individuals signal issues, the more likely they are to be resolved.
Departmental Coordination
FNEEQ has a workbook for Departmental Coordinators called “A Look at Departments“, which you might find quite useful with Modules on: Autonomy in Education / Coordination / Pedagogical Responsibilities / Hiring and Integration of New Teachers / Allocation of Workloads / Quality of Teaching / the Department and the Union.
https://fneeq.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/fr/Formation-departements-anglais-2011-04.pdf
Here too is a simplified version of Robert’s Rules of Order to help meetings run smoothly. These are followed in CSN, FNEEQ, VCTA and many college bodies: https://assembly.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/roberts_rules_simplified.pdf
Available Work in Cont Ed
This is a reminder for new teachers, specifically in continuing education. The best way to remain informed of available work at Vanier is to consult the job board https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/human-resources/jobs/job-opportunities-teachers/. It is recommended that you check the board on the same day every week. Do not forget to apply for every workload you are entitled to.
Compost in the VCTA Lounge
We would like to remind everyone that we have a compost bucket above the recycling container in the C-101 VCTA lounge: white bucket with red lid. Whenever you brew a new pot of coffee, or if you eat your lunch in the lounge, please drop your biological waste in the compost bucket. Hugo brings it home for his family compost, or we drop it on the Vanier Gardens’ heap. Note that plastic is not compostable, and it contaminates the compost, so please do not put plastic bags or containers in the compost bucket. You can drop plastics in the recycling bin just below the compost bucket. Also, meats are more difficult to compost, so maximize fruit and veggie pits and peels, coffee grinds, and light paper. Hugo’s backyard plants thank you! 😉
Call for volunteers
A journalist from Radio-Canada is preparing an in-depth piece in French on the return to cegep studies by older individuals (30 and over) or who are in the process of a career change in the context of, and as a consequence of the pandemic.
The FNEEQ has agreed to help in finding students willing to share their experience with returning to school. They are also seeking the testimony of a teacher who has noticed the increase of such students in his/her/their classroom. The FNEEQ will offer support to the teacher volunteering. Should you be interested to participate in this piece, please contact the VCTA.
Upcoming events
September 23, 1:30pm, F216, – Association Council
September 30, 2:00pm, via TEAMS – CRT
October 7, 6:00pm, B223 – General Assembly: Insurance changes for 2022; dinner will be served at 5:00.